Elon Musk’s SpaceX Dragon on Contract with NASA, Set to Launch to Carry Supplies to the International Space Station

The US is heading for space again. This time through Elon Musk’s SpaceX Dragon is set for an 8:35 p.m. EST launch from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It will be the first of 12 missions that will deliver cargo and supplies to the International Space Station. At this time, SpaceX is only offering periodic still photographic updates from the launch site, click here. Dragon is expected to arrive at the ISS, if all goes well, on Wednesday, October 10, and will dock for two weeks. It is scheduled to return to Earth October 28. It will be filled with over 1,000 pounds of supplies on this historic mission.

SpaceX Dragon mounted on Falcon to make unmanned cargo run to International Space Station. (Photo credit: NASA)

According to the Register, the 12 cargo missions are part of a US$1.6 billion contract with NASA and in the near future, SpaceX will carry crew as well. Dragon was designed from the outset to carry astronauts and under a recent $440 million agreement with NASA, SpaceX is making modifications to make Dragon crew-ready